Her name
by Mavda
Summary: It was always her name on his lips.
1. The chosen ones

It's always her name on his lips.

* * *

The first time he heard her, he was but a child. In a land ravaged by war and sundered by civil conflict, he had been left utterly alone. Surrounded by people running and fighting, he stayed still; tuned out by screams and the rain, the sploshing of steps against mud, blood and feces, threats he could recognize by tone more than words, his voice got stuck on his throat in a silent plea no one noticed. The lone child who was paralized by fear tried to make himself as small as he could. He was to die, though he wouldn't realize the certainty of that fact till a long time after.

The first time he heard her, he had been too much of a child to question the factuality of a voice inside of his head, he had also been too terrified to go against the voice who was getting him to safety. In years to come he would face people who could 'hear' the voice but were thought to be overcome with madness or not in touch with this world to be taken seriously. He had been too innocent and guileless at the time, it proved a blessing.

The first time he heard her, she stayed with him for years before leaving. She guided him to a small village and put him in the care of someone of her own, an old man named Orca who couldn't really hear her voice but who had received a bunch of her chosen over the years and trained them with the same certainty of a follower. Orca had the gentleness of a grandfather and the sternness of a martial artist. With Grandpa Orca, and always with her in that house, the boy learnt to trust again, to laugh again and to enjoy things again. The only thing that Grandpa Orca would ask in return was to hear about the woman, Grandpa Orca would ask things to the air and the boy would hear the answers as if someone whispered to his ear. The questions were lost to his young mind, - he could remember the exact color pattern of the flowers in Grandpa's garden, though - but if you were to press him for memories he would recall Grandpa Orca nodding in silence with closed eyes, a faint smile on his face.

Grandpa Orca, as many others - though the boy still didn't know - , knew of her, prayed to her, lived by her rules and asked in return for her blessings. They all knew her name - though the boy still didn't know - but opted to call her 'The Lady' out of respect. Her name was a blessing and a secret given to them by a chosen. Grandpa Orca had decided long ago to serve her though he couldn't hear her, and he had been blessed with the task of nurturing and raising the chosens. He did so with enthusiasm and pride, as he had become known for his work.

The boy had forgotten how life was before her when she told him she was to leave.

He was happy and taken care of and he had a future now, and she could no longer favor him so. She started to give him advice and follow-up instructions, worried to leave the child's side, sad to leave the child's side, not wanting to leave the child's side. So when he asked, "Are you leaving me?" She couldn't bring herself to disappear silently and quietly, "Yes."

The boy couldn't help but feel scared, almost the same way he had been when she had found him. But Grandpa Orca had been telling him of her bond with him, Grandpa Orca had been telling him of the chosens and of their soul-binding life with her, and as the boy recalled Grandpa Orca's deep and elderly voice retelling of old chosens who had changed the lifes of millions, of how they were never alone for The Lady was always with them, the boy could feel the fear dissipating, filled with the certainty of his role, of his life, of her life, of his life that was hers. But he realized he still couldn't bring himself to talk, he was no longer paralized by fear - he would no longer be paralized by fear, for he now had a mission - but he was paralized by a soul-wrenching gratitude that put a lump on his throat and filled his eyes with tears, because he had done nothing to repay her, he was still unable to repay what she had done, and this ache was mixed also with a desperate longing that wanted to grasp at her and never let go. Fed by greed and the undivided love she had given him he wanted nothing more than to weep at her skirts and beg and plead, "My name is Link." Please, don't forget me.

There was a pause which he mistook as absence, feeling a breathless pain in his gut and an emptiness he would no longer fill, but as soon as he started to walk to the village, - right by his ear, like a secret, with the love he had come to expect - "My name is Hylia."

And she left.

* * *

Her name was a gift and a secret. A treasure he would unveil in the safety of his room, when he needed strenght or reassurance, love or protection. A charm he wore with pride and joy. An amulet he polished under the watchful eyes of Grandpa Orca.

"Things aren't the same as before," Grandpa Orca shared one night. Link was washing the dishes by the well and only hummed in agreement.

Two years after and Grandpa Orca was dead in the middle of his own house. Stabbed to death by 'heretics', by 'enlightened', by 'followers of the true gods', by whatever name they were called. They had come in a group, ten of them against a 10 year old child and a man old enough not to remember his own age. Grandpa Orca had seen this coming, had sensed it, had prepared Link for this.

"Things aren't the same as before," Link whispered against a tree, he could feel some understanding behind those words, but it was still out of his grasp. Grandpa Orca had prepared him for this, had told him to go and never come back if this happened. But Link meandered like a wolf in the forest and came back to bury Grandpa Orca under the beautiful patch of flowers that graced their garden.

He left the other bodies to rot - the first and last time he would do that to his enemies. He chose a direction and started to walk that way.

Link hadn't heard her voice in years now. He had even started to doubt he had ever heard her. Grandpa Orca had sat him on his lap, "What is wrong, child?" and Link had trouble expressing his pain.

Abandoned, Link chose in the end. Link felt abandoned. Grandpa Orca had squeezed Link's shoulder, his eyes were filled with understanding and his voice was soft, and Link could feel tears gathering in his eyes, because-

"Abandoned, you say? And yet she has brought you to the most remote, safe, and peaceful village the land has to offer. You feel abandoned, my child, and yet she has put you in my care. The strongest, most experienced and responsible mentor you could ever find." Grandpa Orca fell silent a second and then his eyes were two slits and his hand was slapping Link's back, "If a man can talk like that about himself." Grandpa Orca had filled the room with laughter and Link had felt the doubt lift a little, but the nagging feeling of not being enough was still present.

And Grandpa Orca could feel Link's thoughts, "Do not doubt her, Link, for she is wise. Prepare yourself in the meantime, be the best you can, when you are ready..."

It was a promise, "She'll come for me."

"That is right."

And Link had learnt to be patient.

* * *

Link walked for days upon days, alone, tired, desperate at points to receive help. He walked and no help came, no miraculous intervention happened and the desperation had to learn to be quiet. When Link was in doubt he remembered Grandpa Orca's advice, when Link was in need of strenght he whispered her name under his breath, when Link was in trouble he relied on himself. Till he found a village.

He arrived to the village having defeated every doubt, every weakness of mind and with the sure knowledge that she was to come back if only he tried harder. And with such purpose in mind he started his new life.

Odd jobs, practice, odd jobs, practice, odd jobs, practice, odd jobs...

In this village there were more like him. Children who had heard her voice years back and who had heard nothing since.

Link was afraid that would be it. He had no right to ask more of her, seeing as she had saved his life. So he found it rude to try to talk with her directly, as he had seen others do - kneeled on the ground, with both hands in the air, begging. She is wise, Link reminded himself, she'll come when I'm ready.

There were many names for people like Link, for people who were chosen by The Lady. Chosen one, blessed one, cherished one, protector. Link had heard from Grandpa Orca that once upon a time people would wear those names with their heads held high. But not now. Not when the chosen ones were persecuted, not when they were being killed on sight. Not when a child talking to the air made their mothers scream in pain.

Nobody knew Link could hear her. Even with Grandpa Orca's words in his head, even with her name in his mouth, Link started to think that maybe he was not one of them.

Until she came to him again.

It was night and Link was in bed, counting down with his fingers the things he ought to do tomorrow, when he heard her.

Link froze and sat on his bed, his heart pounded with such strenght Link feared the voice would be drowned by it. But there she was again, the exact same voice, talking with poise and a calmness that made him sigh in relief. She was more cold than last time, more detached, she made no attempt to talk 'to him', it felt more like orders than anything he had ever heard from her.

And he dared not disobey them.

In the middle of the night, three years after arriving to that place, Link left with nothing more than a bag filled with necessities. He had made friends, he had made acquaintances, but he left with nothing more than a nod to the woman who had taken him under her wing - Grandma Aryll, whose family had long left her and who had made it her job to care for orphaned children.

"Where are you going, child? It's too late for you to go outside."

Link stilled by the door. Grandma Aryll had been nothing but kind, had been nothing but loving. Had Link not heard the voice of The Lady he would have stayed by Grandma Aryll's side till she passed away. Would have stopped doing odd jobs and would have settled with Grandma Aryll to help as much as he could. And after settling he would have surely found a wife and have kids. Surely, if he had not heard the voice...

But if down the road... what if he would have heard The Lady years from now? Would he have been able to not heed her words? To tune her out?

Grandma Aryll took care of more children. Surely one of them would take care of her as Link would have liked. Surely one of them would settle down in this house, find a spouse and fill Grandma Aryll's life with more laugter than she could bear. Surely.

Because Link could not abandon The Lady just yet. Just... never.

Grandma Aryll felt a cold hand gripping at her heart, a clench so cruel she had to fight a wail of terror. Oh, he was a child. He was a child. "You can hear her," Grandma Aryll's eyes were filled with pain.

Link nodded and left.

And Grandma Aryll felt, for the first time in her life, that The Lady was unjust.

* * *

Link walked for a long time. He expected for more chosens to appear at every turn, at every new village. The more he walked towards the target, the more he expected to see them gathering around. But there were none. Nowhere.

When people saw him, young, with sword and shield at his back and a simple bag for baggage, they turned to each other. Whispered with hot breaths Link couldn't bear.

Link learnt to avoid such places unless necessary.

Since leaving Grandpa Orca's, Link had practiced his teachings in every spare moment he found. When those were mastered, Link started to look for anyone who could teach him new things. Link had become a fearsome warrior and an excellent cook, the latter under Grandma Aryll's guidance.

Link stopped on a hill, and the pungent smell of fire filled his nostrils. He had arrived. He, alone.

And he, alone, wiped out a large group of bokoblins who marched upon the fields destroying and pillaging everything that got in their way.

When the last of the bokoblins fell, when Link's arms where trembling out of exhaustion, when he could feel blood and guts dripping from him, he fell to his knees. He had been trained for this, he had been trained to kill and live and do it in her name.

But...

But...

Grandpa Orca had never told him how sad it was to be the only one standing among a field of death.

Link spent the next three days burying every body on the field. No one else came. No voice was heard. And when Link buried the last of the bokoblins, he asked for forgiveness.

* * *

Link was the only chosen to heed her command. When he arrived to the village which was to be the next target, people asked for his name, took him in, touched him with reverence.

When people started to whisper his name under their breaths, with the same love he whispered The Lady's name, he realized. This had been a test.

The village pampered Link and let him go with gratitude and tearful hugs. When Link arrived to the next village his name was known and his deeds talked about. He was now The Chosen Link. Protector Link. And though his heart filled with pride-

She wouldn't talk to him.

"I finally found you." Link looked up from his book. "My name is Âme, nice to meet you." Link kept his hands on his book, he eyed the arm Âme was stretching but remained still.

Âme lifted a corner of his mouth, "Hylia has sent me."

Link's eyes widened. Her name. It had been so long since he had heard her name.

Âme let his hand fall, looked around them, "I'm protector Âme, she asked me to guide you." Link had chosen a rather secluded tree to sit under. Âme tilted his head one way, "She's saying..." Âme closed one eye, stretched his neck as if to hear better, he then let his shoulders sag, "I'm just hearing a name over and over-"

Link had to bite the unbecomming rage that was starting to eat at him. Why isn't she talking to me? Why?

"-and over."

If this is some kind of joke-

"Orca. Grandpa Orca."

Link had to fight the lump forming in his throat, had to fight the urge to grab Âme by the collar and scream for him to shut up.

Âme had his name tattoed on his face. One big Â was right under his right eye, followed by the other words of his name down his face. Âme smiled and the e got lost in between his cheek, "She is saying we have to stay together until she says so."

Link was sure Hylia used nicer words. Link was sure Âme couldn't even hear her properly. Link was sure Âme was actually able to hear her. So Link stood up, grabbed his bag, cleaned his pants and stretched his arm, "My name is Link. Nice to meet you."

Âme snorted and ruffled Link's hair, "Sure it's a pleasure, you lying brat, you barely gave me a glance."

* * *

Protector Âme turned out to be a drunkard, a fight-loving drunkard. When he realized that Link was a fairly decent fighter - to his standards - , Âme started to ask for 1 on 1 spars.

Link lost all of them.

"You're too stiff!"  
"You're too guarded!"  
"You're too defenseless!"  
"Put a little more strenght to it!"  
"Is that a stance?"  
"Who are you waving to?!"

All with a natural, good-natured, stern voice Link was weak against. And every spar was finished with a lecture about weaknesses and strenghts Âme gave with a serious face. Those were the only times Link enjoyed with the man. Though Âme was sarcastic and enjoyed witty banter, he usually drank till drunk and sat alone far enough to be seen but enough to also know he didn't want company. Link gave him his space and spent his own time sharpening the skills Âme thought lacking.

Âme when drunk was silent. Âme when sober was talkative. It was almost a rule with how many times Link have seen it, so when Âme started to drink and walk to a far but fairly nearby tree, Link sat down and took out a book about geography. Link hadn't even heard Âme walking back.

"You know, you're not the only one, you know?"

Âme was not drunk enough, as his eyes still held the shine of conciousness, but he was also not in control of his body, as his legs still moved trying to find the correct position to stand and fight gravity. Which is why Link gave Âme a light glance to acknowledge his presence but kept on reading his book.

Âme wasn't expecting an answer, not really, but he was expecting something more than a look. A hum, maybe? No. Not that either.

"You are..." Âme mumbled, his tongue felt heavy, his mind felt like it wanted to sleep, "the fourth one to be asked to accompany me." Âme looked at Link like that was enough - wide eyes, raised eyebrows. Link felt Âme's eyes on the top of his head and raised his head to look at the man. "None stayed more than a month," Âme had trouble with the ending of 'month' and his tongue stuck out of his mouth in a weird angle.

Link could feel the disbelief in Âme's tone, but he was still too surprised to say anything that could help the man.

Âme felt his frustration rise, and Link's blue eyes only helped further his feelings, "So I have to ask why is that." Then he added as an afterthought, "It's not like I'm the nicest out here."

Link frowned, was he supposed to make a nice lie that helped Âme feel like a decente hylian? Or was he asking for honesty? Âme was indeed, not the nicest of persons, but he was witty enough to be funny and seasoned enough to be a mentor, so Link could tell Âme - without it being a lie - that he stayed because he was learning. Or Link could tell him the truth.

"I'm staying because The Lady asked me to."

Âme closed his eyes in frustration, "And yet she hasn't talked to you," Link winced, it was no secret she didn't, "but me? The one that barely hears her? She talks non-stop! Even now!" Âme pointed to his ear, "I'm hearing some fucking noise in my head I can't make out, are you telling me to calm down, Hylia?!" Âme screamed to the skies.

Link left his book and stood, "Âme, it's all right, I'm here."

Âme shook his head, there were tears falling down his face, "It was my fault, you know, mine." Âme raised his head, pointed to himself, "I doubted her, you know?" Âme looked to the fire crackling in the middle of their camp, "Have you heard people saying The Lady is leaving them? How less and less people are able to hear her?" Âme looked at Link, "You are one of the last of our kind, and it's not her fucking fault. It's ours. Because we doubt, because we lie. She's leaving us, she's leaving us," Âme mocked the people wailing, "but it's not like that, it's not she who's leaving. It's us. The only reason people can't hear her it's because they don't want to. They cover their ears. They scream it hurts to be left alone, but nobody thinks about her, you know? How must she feel? Being left behind." Âme swayed and Link gave a step to catch him, "Being left behind by her own chosens, "Âme slapped away Link's hand and fell to the ground, "Don't you dare do that to her, you hear me? Don't you dare doubt her, for she is wise. Don't you dare leave her, for she is lonely."

Âme pressed his head to the ground while chanting for Link not to leave The Lady.

That night Link had to hold Âme's hand till he fell asleep. While Link talked about their plans for the future, Âme smiled, "Thank you, Link. For being here. I think I finally figured why she wanted me to be with someone. I had thought it was because she didn't trust me to do my work, but it was only because I was lonely," Âme chuckled, "She tried to take care of this failure I am till the very end, huh?" Link felt Âme squeezing his hand, "I'm really thankful, you know, to you, to her..." Âme smiled, the way Link liked, so hard Âme's name got lost on his face, so hard Âme wrinkled his nose, "But this is no life for you."

Link fell asleep holding Âme's hand, with promises to go to the next village and stay low for a while - so Âme could relax a little - but when morning came, Link woke with a sore neck and an empty bed at his side. Link called Âme's name in the morning, the sun was starting to hit hard and Link had to squint his eyes. But Âme was nowhere to be found.

Hylia came back to him that morning, clear like dew, soft like silk, sad. "The cliff," she whispered.

Âme was at the bottom of a nearby cliff, it had the most beautiful view and Link spent the whole day climbing down to retrieve Âme's body and climbing the cliff with Âme's corpse tied up to his back, his head bouncing near Link's face. Link buried the man, planted flowers near his grave and kept his journey.

He didn't talk to Hylia, nor asked her why she hadn't woke Link up. No, he needn't do that. He knew the answer.

* * *

This time, when Hylia talked to him, Link didn't even let her finish and he was packing his stuff. No monsters this time, no magic, only a greedy man who was abusing his power and who nobody dared defy. Link met with more Chosens - like he had wanted a long time ago - but now Link only nodded and felt weight on his shoulders.

They were going to raid the man's castle. They were going to kill the man inside the castle. They had a plan and every one of them had a role. They had a leader now. He was called Rhoam and had the presence of a king.

Even though Link had never seen any of the men and woman who were now beside him, they worked with such grace and gracefulness Link started to enjoy himself. A month after reuniting and after they had reviewed their plan time and time again, they set forth to the castle.

They were stealthy and quick, strong and skilled. They were deep into the castle when a horn cried into the night. Whispers became screams and the serene atmosphere they had been working in became chaos.

Link could feel Hylia shouting in pain inside his head, but there was nothing she could do and soon everything was darkness.

* * *

Link stopped counting days after a while, the meals came whenever, their cell was the most secluded of all and no sound but their owns whines could be heard. The hopeful mutter had long died down for curses and tears.

Many have taken their own lifes or died from starvation. Link was beginning to think that death wouldn't be so bad of a deal. It was either that, or-

"Curse you, Hylia, curse you!"  
"Some beloved children we are! Leaving us to die like rats!"  
"Please help me, please help me, please help me, please-"

Link pressed his head to the wall. He was not going to doubt her, Link was not going to doubt The Lady. Link was not going to-

A hand touched Link's thigh and Link would have screamed and thrashed if he weren't so weak. Some Chosens had already fallen to cannibalism to survive. Maybe being killed wouldn't be so ba-

"Hey, you alive? Hey."

Link fought with his throat to make sounds, it was so dry. "Ye-a."

"What's your name? Who are you?"

How was he so energetic and strong? A cannibal, for sure. "Lin-k."

The man sighed audibly, "Thank Hylia, I finally found you. Take this, go on, eat."

Link felt a warm, sticky thing being pressed to his thigh, "What's-" Link hadn't spoken in so long. So long.

"A rat. Sorry. It's cooked though." The man moved his shoulders, embarrased, "Try not to think much about it."

And Link didn't. Hylia knew he was hungry. The man had even cleaned most of the rat's fur.

"I'm so glad I found you, she was so worried about you. You were left on the farthest side from me, I could have found you sooner, but you are literally opposite of where I was."

Link refrained from asking why Hylia wasn't talking to him if she was so worried.

"I'm Rhoam, I'm stayin with you now, all right? We'll get through this."

Link only hummed to let Rhoam know he was listening. But though Link would never let himself find fault on Hylia, he wasn't so sure they were to be free anytime soon.

For all that Link found it difficult to understand, Rhoam's never-ending babble was the only thing keeping him sane. Once Rhoam had made sure Link was fine and he would not try to kill himself, he left Link alone for a while to go and check on others. Link had started to help Rhoam catch rats, and whatever food the guards gave them, they would try to grab before anyone else and then dispense to the others.

Whenever someone tried to fight, either Link or Rhoam stopped them before things would worsen. They were weak and feeble but compared to the others they still held much of their strenght.

The curses never stopped, nor did the whimpers, but Link was in a better state of mind than when everything started and he had started to follow Rhoam's efforts of helping others not lose their minds. Link wasn't Rhoam-like at it, but Rhoam didn't let his efforts unanswered and always thanked Link for trying.

Once they felt tired enough, Link and Rhoam would huddle up and share stories. Link had an image in his mind of Rhoam's house and Rhoam's family. Rhoam's family was the most important and warm piece of information Link ever had, he would name each member before sleeping, he would whisper the name of each plant Rhoam's wife had planted on their garden when he woke up. Link had asked Rhoam if he found creepy that a stranger held in such consideration his family, but Rhoam had snorted, "It's nice to know someone will have them in their heart if I'm gone."

It had been the only time Rhoam had acknowledged his own, probable, death.

* * *

"We lost another one," Rhoam let himself fall next to Link, "How many of us there are left?"

"Eight."

Rhoam moved his hand down his face, hard. Eight? When they had been hundreds? "How long have we been here?"

"Four or two years. It's hard to keep count."

It was so hard to keep on trying to stay alive. Rhoam could feel the fatigue eating at his bones. What if they were here another four years? Two years? One? Even one seemed too much for him.

"You know," Link started, his voice was jaded, Rhoam feared what was to continue. Maybe Link would blame him for keeping him alive? What was Rhoam to do if Link of all people started to blame him? Rhoam wasn't going to be able to take it. Link was now... Link was now his pillar. "When we make it outside, I'd like to visit your family, you know."

Rhoam felt a lump in his throat.

"Feels like I already know them," Link smiled, he just had to close his eyes and he was able to see the house, the garden, the crops.

Rhoam half-coughed half-cried, "Of course. I'll be waiting for you, buddy."

* * *

Three years and four months later, after a series of tremors that threatened to cave in their prison, they were let out.

Only six made it out alive, and out of the six none resembled their former selves.

"Who's the leader?" A soldier asked.

Rhoam gave an unsteady step forward. Link was squinting and shielding his eyes, and even though he could barely see, he knew Rhoam looked like death itself. Link wasn't sure he could keep standing if it weren't for the wall at his back.

Hell had been unleashed, apparently, a monstruous evil being was roaming the kingdom and very few settlements remained. They had been called Chosens, right? They had been fighting for good, right? Well, now was their last fight.

Rhoam was quiet for a moment, "We are under no condition to fight. If you could give us at least a few months to prepare."

Link was slaw-jacked. They had only gotten them out of there to fight? No excuses, no apologies?

And the soldiers were having none of that. Link could see the fear in their bodies, could even smell it in their words. And they were clearly desperate if they were hoping to find salvation with six starving moribund people.

Rhoam was trying to find the words, there was no way he was going to be able to survive a fight. He was thinking it would be difficult to survive the trek back home, let alone a fight against evil. None of them would live to tell the tale.

Link conjured Rhoam's home and family in his mind. They were bound to be ecstatic to see their beloved husband and father come back. Link imagined their smiles, the fierce hugs, the tearful smiles. "What is it you need me to do?"

Rhoam was choking up, though Link feared it was because he wanted to say too much and his body just wasn't having it. Rhoam gave another unsteady step. "Link." Link smiled. "No."

Link hugged Rhoam, hard. "You saved my life, now I'm saving yours. Go be with your family."

Rhoam wanted to cry, to scream, but he was so tired.

Link kissed Rhoam on the cheek, "It's all right, I'm going to go rest before you. Aren't you jealous."

* * *

It turned out that a couple of red potions did wonders, and though there was no telling when the magic would fade, Link was doing a wonderful job at fighting the monster and his hordes.

Demise, was his name. Fitting, as he destroyed and killed everything that was in his way. He wanted to attain the Holy Triforce - an artifact of legend that granted whoever touched it a wish - and people were desperate to stop him. Link could understand why.

"Link," to hear her voice again was a blessing, to fight for her one las time a gift.

"Hylia."

Hylia appeared before him, all light and beauty, and Link wanted to weep in joy.

"Hero," Hylia whispered, and granted him a sword.

The Master Sword, the only thing capable of slaying Demise. And now Link had it, he could feel the weight of such a task. But knowing this was the last, knowing that after this came rest. Link went on to fight with a smile on his face.

Demise went down with a srhilling scream, agony and hate intertwined. Hylia sealed Demise and sent the Triforce skyward along with the Master Sword.

And now all was well. And now Link could sleep. And he had done his job.

Link could feel his breath getting slower, his hand was on a stomach wound that was bleeding him out. Link looked up to the sky, the floating islands were getting smaller and smaller and Link could still hear the shouts of joy some of the people on the islands were making. It was a good way to die.

Link felt warmth seeping through his body and when he opened his eyes, Hylia was there, with the most agonizing expression Link had ever seen.

"Hero," she called. Link smiled, to be given such a goodbye, what an honor.

Hylia was crying on Link's chest, "Gruelling task after gruelling task and never once did you curse me. Unreasonable affair after unreasonable affair and never once did you doubt me."

Link smiled, "You saved my life, it was yours since the beginning."

"Link." Hylia's voice broke.

And Link died with her name on his lips.

* * *

Link woke up after what felt an eternity later. His eyelids were heavy, his body numb, and his mind was so fuzzy it took him a moment to remember his own name.

It was gradual, the pain. It came back like ants marching through his body, it choked him up at first, it made him moan when it reached his legs, after a while it made him hiperventilate - there was no way this was real - and when it reached his torso and his head... Link would have thanked anybody who smashed his head into a wall.

Where was he?  
Why was he-?  
He had been granted death.  
He had earned his death.

SO WHY?

Link felt red through his limbs, thunder in his head and white behind his eyes. He remembered nothing but the pain of his wounds, and the certainty that his life was to end there. But he was here. Link howled, his head pounded like it was about to burst, and Link screamed with renewed vigor.

Why wouldn't they let him go?

Link roared.


	2. The things we do

When the fight left Link's body, when his throat became too sore to keep on screaming, when his abdomen felt tight and shone bright red on its side, when Link could feel each heavy breath he was taking and the pain of still being made him gasp for air. When Link could only think this had to be a punishment. A woman came into his room.

She was blonde and her eyes were pained, her mouth was pressed in a thin line and her steps were short. And she came to Link, "You just need to sleep, okay? You are going to be all right." Her hands moved with practiced easiness. She touched Link's forehead, pressed his body with a deep frown on her face, and eyed Link's stomach wound with worry.

Link couldn't feel anything but the heat inside him, the discomfort accompanying every movement, every breath. He felt tears pooling in his eyes in frustration. His mind was fuzzy and his eyes unfocused.

The woman tried to give a reassuring smile, brought a glass up to Link's face, "Drink this and you'll feel better."

Link wondered whether more screams would help him get his point across, but as his mind was now filled with denial over this situation, he only eyed the glass the woman was offering.

"Please try to rest, you have to rest-" the woman tried.

But even blinking made Link want to whine like a child, so he moved his head away from the glass, away from the woman, "Please, just let me-" it was hard to voice it, such dreams. It felt wrong, it felt like betrayal, and his mouth was too dry to make it easier, "-just let me die."

"I'm sorry," the woman said, "but I won't let you." She touched his face, lifted his chin, "Drink this." But Link kept his mouth shut.

Link could feel the woman trembling, but his own pain blinded him, "Please," he begged, her hand was out of his face in an instant. Link would have argued his case if he could have, but the only thing that circled his mind was how much pain he was in and how unfair this whole situation was, so he persisted, "I'm tired."

But the woman looked at him with her jaw clenched, her eyes were red out of exhaustion, and the fear of watching a dying man clutched at her heart. "No," she let out.

And Link had no strenght left to do anything else but groan and turn on his bed.

* * *

Link awoke with a sting that made him flinch. The woman next to him squeaked and drew back her hands.

The pain, again, rose slowly within Link, marching from his feet upwards. Link's face was taut and his jaw clenched, a scream nested in his throat but it was too dry to make a sound. The woman stood and filled a glass with water, when she came back her face was the first thing to appear. Blue eyes, pale skin, blond hair. Link frowned, trying to remember where he had seen her. There was something about her... about her face... about her stance...

And when she locked eyes with Link, Link's heart leapt once. Scared, terrified, there was a push on his heart that made him want to kneel and gasp for air. Realization hit him with a desperation he had thought lost to him. A breath, "Hylia."

And the woman opened her eyes with shock. Her lips thinned, her eyes wavered, "Here, your water."

But Link shook his head, "No."

* * *

When two nights after Link woke up with a coughing fit that made him groan and double over, when he didn't even need to call for Hylia's help for she had arrived the moment after and had soothed him with her hands on his back and shushed whispers, when Link hadn't even thanked her before she left, when he couldn't fall asleep right after. He realized. He had been too harsh, too brash.

When two nights after the same happened, and in between coughs Link heard the pitapat of her feet hitting the floor and felt his ever-growing debt to her sneering from behind him, when Hylia gave a short nod in approval after Link's coughing had subdued, he caught her before she left. The candle she had brought shone directly on her face and her surprise let Link know that she was listening. Link felt a lump on his mouth, and wondered whether crying at Hylia's lap would make him feel better, before she left though, he apologized, "I'm sorry about before, I was too harsh, I should've-" Hylia didn't let him finish, her smile had been true, Link was sure, but her face was tight and her eyes were bright. Hylia had squeezed his hand and left without taking the candle. Link had been left that night looking at the ceiling, pondering about... them.

* * *

She was Hylia and he was Link, she was a Goddess and he was a hylian, named after her very providence. And she was here. Taking care of him.

It felt oddly familiar, like a muddled memory one wasn't sure it had happened. As if he could summon Grandpa Orca, Grandma Aryll and Rhoam to appear the next moment at the end of his bed. It felt calm, warm, soothing, in the same way a dream would. But this, this was real. And the pain Link still had to face was an attestment to it.

This was no dream. This was no death. This was...

Hylia wouldn't stay to talk, she would come and check on Link, change bandages, clean, and then leave. Any attempt at talking would receive as an answer a smile and a nod. Hylia would no longer wear the glistening jewels Link remembered on her head and ears, Hylia would no longer wear the vaporous dress he had seen before. Now Hylia wore a dress that looked like it had been made by clumsy hands, gave Link thin smiles and curt nods that somehow made her look vulnerable, and her hands-

Her hands were warm and rough and nothing like the shining warmth that had held Link's dying body. Hylia had never looked so... normal, and Link had never felt so...

The only reason Link could swear this was in fact Goddess Hylia - and not a walking peasant that had taken pity on him - was the last memory he remembered after defeating Demise. Hylia's face had been right over him, painted in anguish, and her mouth had kept on whispering sweet nothings to Link, in what he had thought an attempt to ease him into death. He had seen her face inches away from his own and he had comitted it to memory. This woman who lived with him was Hylia, the Goddess, his Goddess, his savior.

And Link couldn't find one reason why she had done what she did.

* * *

For Link, there was no other way around this predicament. Hylia had saved him, out of countless Protectors who had lost their lives. Him. There had to be a reason. She had something to ask of him and Link would answer to her aspirations.

His prior outbursts had been the result of him being overcome with grief and pain and suicidal wishes he didn't want to linger on. He was recovering his strenght and his state of mind. His head still pounded, his wounds still hurt, but it wasn't the blinding pain of before.

This, this he could manage.

* * *

To ask Hylia directly why he had been saved was out of the question. Link would crumble under the weight of heavy responsibility and feel burdened under any other answer she could provide, so he only surfed through mundane talk.

Hylia frowned whenever Link asked a question but answered with the quiet voice he had come to love all those years ago.

Link was sitting when Hylia came into his room. Link had started to understand her schedules, her activities. Now was the time to check on his wound. "Hylia," Link greeted.

Hylia nodded and walked to him. Link had been pondering on whether he should wait to recover fully before asking about the outside world, but the view outside his window only made him eager to know.

Hylia touched his body with soft touches and cleaned the wound with a mixture of herbs Link could barely name. When she finished tightening the bandages, Hylia put a hand  
on his forearm and smiled, "You're healing really well."

Link gave her a look, "Hylia." It wouldn't deter him from doing what he had already promised himself, "Hylia, what about the triforce? The islands?"

Hylia's eyes widened, and she took back her hand to her lap. And she smiled. "The triforce is safe, the islands are settled already and the people up there are thriving." Link nodded, and Hylia crushed her skirt with her hands, "And it's all thanks to you."

Link felt like he should smile, but the only sound that came out was a snort. He shook his head and settled by looking out the window. Hylia left and closed the door behind her with care, and Link had to fight tears back.

* * *

Link was walking through the house. A hand pressed on his side and a limp that made him lean on the walls. Hylia walked around him, gave him a curt smile that betrayed joy, and Link had to bite down the glee he felt. He sucked at walking, but he persevered.

The sooner he healed, the sooner he could help Hylia, let her go back to the Goddesses' realm.

As soon as he healed... but the way his legs trembled made him huff in exhaustion and made him feel unsteady on his feet. He had only walked from his room to the hallway that linked his bedroom with Hylia's and the living room, but his breathing was labored and he was feeling dizzy.

Hylia saw him from afar, trying his best to put one feet in front of the other, and having trouble with it. When Link pressed a hand to the wall on his right, and closed his eyes to breath in and stop feeling the floor give way under him, Link heard Hylia walking to him. When Link opened his eyes he saw a chair near him and no trace of Hylia. Link fell with a thud that made him wince, from here, if he leaned in a little, he could see Hylia walking away.

Link looked at his hands gripping his knees. Hylia had become warmer than before, friendlier, so close Link only had to raise his voice for her to come see him.

And Link felt this to be as strange and wrong as him still being alive. She had stayed for him, that much was certain, and it was wrong - A Goddess on earth staying for a mortal.

Hylia hummed from outside, the sound rode the wind and made Link raise his head in attention. This was all he had always dreamed. For her to be with him.

And Link knew it was wrong.

* * *

Knowing it was wrong and working knowing it was wrong were two different things. Especially when Hylia was smiling more, talking more and being more open with Link than whatever he could have had dreamed before. If not for Hylia's covert support Link would have found it more difficult to find strenght within him, would have found it difficult to keep on fighting for recovery. Without her he would have let himself go. But since Hylia was now looking at him, skirt clenched and eyes wide, Link kept on walking around the garden. He felt his lungs weren't working with him, and that his legs were twitching too much for his liking, but Hylia's eyes kept on following him so Link gave another step.

Nothing prompted this. Link was content with the way they were living. Once you could live your dream you shouldn't strive for more, in fears of jixing it. So the next sentence came out of Link's mouth not expecting an answer, as the way his breathing was hurting his throat made him irritable and he had long ago closed his eyes in hopes of mustering a state of mind where the pain was nonexistant and his patience was infinite. Link snapped out of it a lap later as his side had started to hurt in tandem with his head, his hands came to rest on the wound on his abdomen and Link wheezed, "I'm dying."

And then from his side Link heard a soft laugh that made him raise his head. Hylia was holding a glass of water and she gave him the sweetest smile, "No, you're not, you're healing."

Link shook his head, trying to think of anything to say rather than stare at her like a fool. His mouth opened and, "Uh, sure."

He was a fool.  
He was a fool.

Hylia snickered and patted his arm, "Give yourself time. Let's go eat."

Link nodded, saw her walk in front of him and closed his eyes.

A fool.

* * *

Link breathed once, twice, he relaxed and let go of the arrow. The wind whistled around and the arrow hit bullseye. The deer gave a shrill cry and ran through the woods. Link breathed out and a puff of mist filled his view, the deer walked a few meters away and wobbled, it fell a little farther.

Link kneeled next to it, knife in hand, "May you come back and live again, we thank you for the life you had," he cut through the deer's throat, while the animal's last cry was drowned between the trees.

On the way back to their house, Link's boots sinked added centimeters thanks to the deer's weight. The new skin on his abdomen felt tight but there was no worry of it opening again - Link had made sure to practice time and time again before being satisfied.

As Link walked through the snow he thought about Hylia, he wondered whether she was warm enough in front of the chimney, maybe she was knitting, maybe just doozing off.

Link's boot sinked farther than normal and he cursed. Maybe Hylia was waiting for him with soup on the pot. Link could even smell it.

Hylia had been vehement on making sure Link had everything he needed to go out to hunt. Hylia had made him promise to be careful and to take care of himself. Hylia had told him she was more than capable of hunting. It had taken a whole week to have her give him the ok.

Link still didn't know how he was supposed to tell her that he couldn't possibly accept anything more from her.

He was fine now, he could handle his sword, he could handle his shield. The bow had been the first thing to come back in full. He could take care of himself, he had still a little left before he was to his full capacity, but he didn't need Hylia to look over him now.

She was free to go.

* * *

Link saw the sillhouete of their house through the woods. The snow covered every other plant and flowers he and Hylia had taken care for, snow piled around a shovel-digged clearing around the house, and now, watching the smoke coming out of the chimney and the lights pouring out from the windows, Link started to feel the bite of the howling wind around him, the way this boots sinked into the snow and the way his feet were sloshing in warm water.

He could call for Hylia to come help him, but the thought of bringing her to the cold made him toughen up and adjust the deer's body over his shoulders. If he could have had it his way, he would have been able to get to their home without trouble, leave the deer in the shack they left their tools in, and make a fine entrance into the house, wind howling at his back and air slightly toussling his hair.

If he could have had it his way.

Because as soon as he got out of the woods a shadow moved in front of the warm-colored windows, and Hylia's worried voice was carried to him.

Link got to leave the deer in the shack, but Hyllia was fussing over him and his wounds and his wellbeing and whether he wanted to eat first or maybe warm himself with a bath. The moment Link took off his boots and entered the house, the moment Hylia's hands brushed with his owns in an attempt to help him get rid of his sodded clothes, the moment Hylia warmed Link's nose with her hands and the only answer Link got out of her was an innocent giggle. The moment Link told her he would love to eat first and Hylia started to tell him about all of the things he had missed the past few days, Link knew. Link feared. Link grabbed his spoon so hard he could see his knuckles becoming white.

And though he had thought this adveture would serve for his cause to argue he was fine to overcome whatever obstacle he would have to face in order to help her and free her. Of him. Of this. Link remained silent.

* * *

It was unsightly, unbecoming, unreasonable and completely selfish. And for once, Link did not care. Hadn't he earned this? Hadn't he payed already for this?

And if he had done. How long would it last? How long till Hylia grew tired of him and his uselessness, got tired of him and his childishness. How long would he be able to delude himself. That this was right.

Link wasn't sure any of his thoughts could hold his ground against reality. He knew if he pushed them to the truth something would crumble.

But Hylia was the truth, and she had remained quiet and calm and not eager at all to confront Link about them.

And if Link knew one thing, it was to obey her.

So a month after the deer, the moment Hylia was cutting some meat at the counter, after Link had come to terms with... with whatever they were, in the middle of one of their usual conversations, Hylia yelped and crouched over her hand.

It didn't came as fast as it should, really, this realization, Link ran towards Hylia with worry etched on his face, asking aloud whether the cut was deep and how much it hurt, and he was next to her loking at her injured hand as if he could muster some otherwordly power to heal her.

When it clicked.

Had he dreamed about it too much?  
Had he made her stay for too long in this accursed realm?  
Had he desired this with such strenght that reality itself had shifted?  
His Goddess... wounded... his saviour... mortal... his Hylia...

... smiling sweetly at him, "It was nothing, it only looks bad."

Link watched her go with a blank stare.

Why was it that whenever something made his chest hurt, weeping at her skirts seemed like such a good idea?


	3. Her

Guilt. Pure, unadultered guilt.

Link could barely look at Hylia. The moment he did he would remember the blood pouring from her hand. It had looked natural at first, he had felt it natural, how much blood had Link seen in his life? Enough to make logical decisions in the face of it, enough to just shrug off the incident.

But then that night, it clicked for Link. These feelings that made him freeze, the realization that it had been his fault this had happened, that maybe if he hadn't been the way he had been Hylia could still be the ethereal perfect entity she was supposed to be and Link had destroyed. This urge, desperate and fiery, that he ought to disappear, to be gone. It ate at him.

Link even entertained the thought of leaving. Of leaving Her.

'It's us. We're leaving her,' Âme had said. 'You're the last of our kind and it's not her fault,' Link remembered. And it hurt.

It was guilt over guilt and there was no way Link could handle it ont his own.

How was one supposed to atone for destroying a Goddess?

* * *

It was a cold night, right before they went to bed, in between Hylia's low singing and Link checking on the fire.

"Hylia?"

They were too comfortable with each other. How come it only took Hylia three steps to reach him?

"Yes?"

Link focused on the fire in front of him. He didn't want to let go, not now that he knew how it felt to live with her. He didn't want to force her to stay and live the sad life of a mortal. He just...

"Are you no longer a Goddess?" Link could feel his chest tightening, blame and fear all in one.

Hylia walked to him and grabbed his hand, a gesture they found comfort in, "That's right."

Link had known, so why did it hurt so much? "Is it my fault?" Did you do it for me? Am I really that important to you?

Hylia kept quiet for a couple of seconds and Link had to fight the urge to hipeventilate.

"I," Hylia started, "I could no longer bear the burden of being a Goddess." Hylia rested her head on Link's chest, "I saw so much and I did so little." Link couldn't lift his arms, he was stiff and he was starting to tremble. "And then you came along and I..."

Link let out a shudder and Hylia looked up to him, "Link," she breathed, "It is not your fault, all right?"

Link breathed in, half-trembling, half-terrified, and tried to nod.

Hylia caressed his back, and Link could feel the trembling of her hands. Maybe it only was the cold. Maybe she worried because he was a child.

Link felt like crying like one.

"Hylia," Link whispered.

Hylia looked up.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

Seeing Link like a lost lamb hurt. It had been her words, always her words.

That night, after Link left to his bed, Hylia followed.

He was alone.

She was alone.

He deserved to know what had happened, and she deserved to let it all out.

So that night, under the wide eyed gaze of Link, Hylia sat by his side. And started.

Being born a Goddess was no different than being born a hylian. One moment you just weren't, and the next you were.

Had she been born out of hylian's wishes? Had she been born out of the Three Goddesses? Hylia didn't know.

She became her and she heard so much. She realized she didn't have parents years after becoming. She thought she had to be sad, but she had so many people around her...

It had taken centuries for her to become Hylia, it had taken another one for That to appear. It had taken a few more for Hylians to become Hylians; and after they came, everything started to move too quickly, too much.

Hylians taught Hylia what it meant to be one of them, what it meant to be mortal, what it meant to have a family, to be a family; loss, love, pain, happines, sadness. Hylia was amazed by the world and she loved Hylians so.

And they could hear her.

And they kept her company.

And what else was there to want?

Wasn't it natural for her to help? Wasn't it natural for her to care?

Had she been too much of a child?

Hylians taught her everything but then they started to look for answers in her.

All she did was repeat what she had heard before, it was Hylians helping Hylians, not her. But they loved her so, and respected her so, and Hylia was nothing with Hylians so how was she supposed to tell them she was...

She had been a child, really, she had been born and then she had been raised and time was a weird thing for her. She counted years like they were seconds, she counted centuries like they were years.

They died very often, for sure, but they were one and the same, too. Hylia could recall their fathers and their father's fathers, and their father's father's fathers and...

They were still there, with her.

She had been a child.

She still felt like one.

How was a child supposed to stop being a child without parents around?

Who was she supposed to ask these questions? Was there an answer?

Hylians were easily scared. Disasters, famine, death, they were terrified of many things. And they were her brothers and sisters so when they asked...

Hylia lied. You will come to me after, we'll be together then, rest assured I will protect you.

And it finally dawned on her, that they were... them.

And Hylia was her and she was alone and how was she supposed to tell somebody this.

And then-

And then-

Hylia trembled.

She couldn't get to them.

* * *

The only thing she had ever known, the only solace, the only family, the only thing that existed beside her.

And they were leaving.

But she was a Goddess now, and Goddesses didn't tremble and they didn't waver and they accepted fate, whatever that was, and they loved, and loved, and loved.

And they left her.

What if they-?

Alone?

Hylia tried to get herself used to the silence, stopped speaking for a while. Tried to look for something around her, something more.

But there was nothing.

It was her.

And nothing.

She wanted a mother to hug her.

* * *

She had time to accept fate. Destiny. The Goddesses' rulings. They would leave, and she would be alone. But that was all right, because there had to be a reason for that. Whoever had made her, had made Hylians and Hylians believed in Her so why couldn't she believe too?

In what?

She wasn't sure yet, but surely... something.

Something above Her. Something beneath Her. It didn't matter as long as she believed.

It had been his cries what had called Her. He had been a child, scared, surrounded by violence. Alone.

Alone. His fear had called Her, and Hylia did her best to help.

She had ought to leave, to let him be. Hylians were resilient and she had given him a guardian and...

She tried to leave too late and they were a family and, oh, how she yearned for one.

Hylia could hardly hear, could hardly talk. What if they were-?

What if this boy was the last one?

She loved him so, but she had to leave. And if she were to be alone was she capable of taking this child with Her?

She wouldn't be so hateful.

"Are you leaving me?" He asked and Hylia's heart was in her hand, bleeding and beating and thrashing around.

"Yes." What a lie.

"My name is Link."

She had ought to turn and leave, pretend she didn't hear, act as if he had talked to the wind. But his fear was contagious and his trembling hands were endearing and how was she supposed to leave someone like how they were leaving her?

Wouldn't that cross a line? Somewhere?

Hylia couldn't control herself. Too sad, too lonely, too scared, too desperate.

To hang onto a child.

Shameful.

"My name is Hylia."

* * *

She had forced herself to look away, to keep her gaze away from him.

The last one.

Her last chosen.

Her...

She would leave with dignity. She would hug her legs and hide her head and pretend to sleep till she was gone.

Unending darkness made her weak on her knees, gathered tears to her eyes and made her breath faster, but she had come to terms with it.

How could she ask for more than what was given?

And then Âme tried to take his life and Hylia broke.

What would she give to make him company, what would she give to have company, what would she give to forget pain and loneliness and...

When she looked for help he was there and Hylia longed for him in the same way she had longed to belong long ago.

With familiarity.

Please... Please, stay with him.

She didn't dare talk and the one time she did it was to leave again.

The last she saw he was carrying Âme's body with sweat pearling his body and tears streaming down his face.

And Hylia wished he could find happines.

* * *

A few. Less than a few. A handful.

And he was there.

She saw them trying to fight for what they believed and she would lie if she denied the pride they gave Her.

They fell, and Hylia would lie if she said Her heart didn't feel heavy. But years upon years... centuries? Had made Her come to terms with their passing...

Only this time they wouldn't return after a while. These fathers and mothers would be the last to hear Her. And Her heart leapt once in protest.

No fair.

No fair that this was the way they chose to go. No fair all she could do was assure them in their heads.

No fair Her goodbyes were curses and hatred and everything she hadn't seen in goodbyes before. Maybe she deserved those.

But he was still there, steadfast, weak, whispering Her name under his breath and Hylia...

* * *

When she saw him hug Rhoam with clenched fists and wobbly legs she made a decision.

Hero, they called him.

Fitting, in the way his smile never left his face when facing those affected.

Fitting, in the way his sword plunged through monster after monster with steady hands.

Awful, in the way she knew he was to lay down his life for others.

She was to give him the Sword, she was to send him to his death. And though she wavered, Her name on his lips, once again, gave Her resolve.

His face was bloodies and grimy and fierce and Hylia wanted nothing more thant to gather him into Her arms and...

Her last gift was the way people weeped for him.

Her last gift were her hands around his body, Her feelings bare to dying ears.

Her last gift...

* * *

Link had come to rest his head on her lap, tears falling down his face in the most beautiful way Hylia had ever seen.

Her last gift had been to herself, all to herself.

Selfish for once. Selfish as always.

"I don't want you to think you have made me this way, Link, I chose this." Link weeped into her skirts and Hylia caressed his hair with care, "And it has made me the happiest I've ever been."


	4. Later

There was little Link could do, he knew that much.

He also realized that though he had played a big role in Hylia's decision to forgo her status. It was also him who had given her happiness and reassurance.

Him. As if that made sense.

Link sobbed in Hylia's lap and all he could think of was that neither his shame nor his guilt had gone away, but a new feeling overpowered the others. Longing. The same he had felt as a child desperate to find a family.

Was it just that the chance was given to him and he was aching to be able to take it?

Was it something else?

Did it matter?

His mind was still too numb from guilt, and his heart still hurt from her pain, so his tongue felt heavy and the only thing he could do was whimper. "I'm never leaving you," Hylia caressed his hair and Link felt too much. "Never," he promised again.

Link wondered whether this would spook Hylia, his desperation. His faithfulness. But Hilya was smiling with her lips slightly raised, with eyes that shone too bright and with a tightness that betrayed a secret.

But Link didn't ask.

And so he begged.

"Please, don't leave me."

* * *

It had been Link's idea. After a couple of weeks of what Hylia could only call a dream, Link had started to look to the skies and the forests with longing.

She had thought adventure had whispered to his ear. But once again, he had surprised her.

A heart so big. A soul so strong.

It was just no wonder she had fallen in love.

Link's eyes glistened like the times she had seen him train with Orca. His strides were strong and his hands were warm and at night he would gather her into his arms and whisper about everything he knew.

Whenever he stopped over a hill, sweeping his gaze to the distance, looking, searching, he would turn to her with a smile and a shake of the head, "Maybe farther along."

The land was filled with monsters and empty of Hylians. But Link would just plunge his sword into the enemies and smile whenever he turned.

"Maybe farther along," Hylia reassured.

* * *

Farther along became farther along. And then, even farther. Link had stopped looking to the distance and he would only talk about those memories that weren't his.

About the memories Rhoam had gifted him and Link had treasured so much. About the flowers, and the sons, the daughters and the wayward wife who were always there.

The distance shortened and Hylia could only grab Link's hand as support. How much she longed to pull his heart closer to her. To soothe his worries and whisper loving words to his heart.

Link was starting to realize how much this meant to him. How important it was for Rhoam to be all right. For his struggles to mean something.

For there to be a tether to what seemed reality.

Hylia squeezed his hand and Link started to fear.

"What if no one's there?"

Hylia furrowed her brows but said nothing.

"You can't feel him, right?"

Hylia shook her head no, "I no longer feel-"

Link nodded, "Yeah, that's right, I know..."

Link started to walk again, helped Hylia go over a tree's root, "I know," he repeated.

* * *

Link had seen nobody else in their journey. He knew, in the back of his mind, that the chances of finding Rhoam were slim. He talked endlessly to Hylia. Asked and shared, pointed and explained, talked and talked.

Because his brain was trying still to fight against this knowledge.

The moment Link stood in the middle of the road in front of Rhoam's house his legs wobbled.

Link took a deep breath and felt Hylia at his back, warm and calm, and he gave a step forward, and another.

He knew he had made an attempt at calling Rhoam, he knew he made an attempt to keep on walking to the front door, but he was in between Hylia's arms, his head hidden in her neck and all he knew was that he was hiperventilating.

The door had been left open and the flowers were dried and dying, no children were running around and no wife nor Rhoam was waiting with a smile to welcome him.

Hylia cooed Link till his breathing was normal, and though Link walked around the house sharing with her pieces of information he remembered, his tears never stopped falling.

That night, Zelda caressed Link's hair till he fell asleep, and when he turned once to press his forehead to her chest, she said, "I'm sure they are safe somewhere."

Link bit down a smile and a joke, 'Goddesses aren't supposed to lie'.

* * *

Link and Hylia spent the next couple of days fixing Rhoam's house, when night came they would camp outside and look to the sky.

Link always slept better if he imagined Rhoam living in the island in the sky. Soon enough, his mind was set that that was the best outcome for this story. It wasn't that he didn't know better, he just simply chose to believe that, even though the back of his mind fought back.

The day they decided to go back, while Hylia was sitting in between Link's legs and the night was falling upon them, Hylia shot her head up and fixated her eyes to the distance.

"What's wrong?" Link asked. Hylia turned to him and then pointed to the sky.

"Don't you see that?"

Link squinted his eyes in the direction Hylia pointed, but saw nothing. "Where?"

Hylia put her hand down, "There," she said.

And Link could see a long, shining monster surfing the sky. His first instinct was to grab Hylia and put them both under a heavier patch of trees, so the monster wouldn't see them.

But Hilya put one hand on Link's knee and the other grasped his hand, "It's all right," she was calm, "It's a God."

Link eyed the God, going up and down the clouds, "Okay," he breathed.

Hylia looked at it till it was gone and Link felt something stirring inside him.

* * *

Hylia walked through their house barefoot. The flowers were blooming, their house was bigger and now Link would sneak kisses in between goodbyes before sleeping.

And it was time for her to tell him.

If he wanted to stay after that...

"Link?"

Link raised his head from the flower bed he was taking care of.

"Do you have a moment?"

Link flashed a smile, "I always have a moment for you."

Link was sun-kissed and his blonde hair only shone brighter. He was more bold with his words and his actions and Hylia was starting to hope for a future with him.

"Do you want me to go inside?" Link dusted his pants and put the towel he used to clean his face and hands on his neck.

Hylia stepped outside, where was the best place to tell him?

"I don't know if it will change anything, really," Link had his head cocked to the side and walked to her, "it's just..."

Link frowned, "It's important," he realized.

Hylia grabbed one of her arms and nodded. Link jogged the last steps to her.

"It's all ri-"

Link's reassurance died the next moment, as Link heard the whistling sound of an arrow coming their way. It was pure reflex, his arm shot up to cover Hylia and the arrow nested in his shoulder.

Hylia only heard a dry sound, her head was on Link's neck and then she was looking at his back.

"Go back inside," Link growled and the next arrow hit his right arm.

Hylia felt her heart shot up in her chest, but her worried voice calling for Link was drowned by him pushing her to the door and him grabbing a rock and throwing it to the forest.

Hylia was frozen in place the moment Link ran to the woods. Her hands were shaking and Hylia loathed her frozen feet and her frozen mind.

Link dodged the next arrow and broke the arrow on his arm. Before his attacker loaded again, Link jumped on him and pierced his throat with the broken arrow.

The man gurgled and touched his neck with desperation.

"Shawn!"

Link grabbed the dead man's quiver and bow and in a movement shot the man who had screamed.

The man wobbled but raised his sword and gave a step forward.

Link pierced his throat with a shot and walked to the corpse to grab its sword.

Link breathed out and looked around, tried to hear unnatural sounds.

And arrow shot nearby and Link dodged and ran.

"Get him out of there!"

Link saw a man in between the house and the forest and jumped immediately to the clearing.

The man saw Link and laughed, "Nice to see you worried, lad!"

Link jumped and slashed at the man. The man widened his eyes but managed to block, a grunt left his lips.

Hylia stood in front of the door, too worried to remain inside but too anxious to go out and burden Link.

"Stay inside!" Link slashed the man's leg and the man fell with a scream.

Link turned as he heard rustle.

"Go get him!"

Two archers and three warriors. Link cursed under his breath, if only he had his shield.

An archer fired and Link dodged to the side, one warrior plunged forward and met blades with Link. The next arrow flew near Link's torso.

Hylia had one hand over her mouth and the other grabbed the door. Link shot arrow after arrow to the archers and hit one.

The soldiers charged and Link had to throw away the bow.

"Give me a clear shot!"

Hylia could feel her heart in her mouth, "Link!"

Link grunted but managed to fight them off, "Hylia-!" He had wanted to reassure her but an arrow hit and he bit his lips.

Hylia drowned a scream and felt her hands tingle.

Link grabbed one warrior and shielded himself from an arrow.

The remaining two warriors looked at each other and to the archer.

"I'm not dying today, bastards," as if to prove his point Link slashed the man's throat but kept the body to shield himself.

In between looks, the archer retreated and the two warriors grabbed the man hurt in the leg and fled.

Link remained alert for almost half an hour after. Hylia didn't dare move.

When Link appeared in front of her, Hylia raised her arms and hugged Link.

"Everything's fine," Link tried to control her sobbing, "I'm all right."

* * *

Link woke and turned on the bed.

Hylia sat immediately at the end of the bed, "How do you feel?"

Link blinked and smiled, "I'm all right."

"Does it hurt?"

Link shook his head, "It just stings."

Hylia had stayed by his side throughout the night, grabbing his hand and making sure that he was comfortable.

Hylia looked at her lap, "What if they come back?"

Link got closer to her, "Then we'll fend them off."

"Link..."

"It's all right, come on, we can handle it."

"Maybe we should go and find a settlement."

Link nodded, "If that's what you want."

Hylia looked at his bandaged body and remembered what she was supposed to tell him.

"Link."

"Yes."

Hylia sat closer to him, hugged him with care.

"Hylia."

"Yes?"

"What is it you're worried about?"

Hylia closed her eyes, felt his heat and heartbeat.

"I'll tell you later."


	5. The promise

Link would hold her at night. Would caress her hair whenever she had nightmares, would soothe her whenever her breathing got labored and would smile whenever she looked at him.

And while they held hands Hylia would forget the fear inside of her. Would try her best to scare away her thoughts. Would try to draw courage from that boy.

* * *

They had walked for days upon days and later had never come. Link was too wary of the topic to bring it up and Hylia had decided to forget about it.

It was a sad view, the roads, the villages, the houses they encountered. Everything was destroyed, ravaged. Their house had been too nice and pretty and now it even filled them with shame to know they had been unknowing of everything aroun them.

As if they could have done something about it.

Maybe it was only a sense of duty that came after being tasked with saving the world. Like a residue of some sort they would never be able to shake off. But even then, with all the rubble and dead crops surrounding them, Link felt a little bit proud. Those crops would flourish again, those houses would be inhabited again, given time, thanks to them.

Hylia would smile at his thoughts, would nod along at all the soft things he would utter. Hopes and dreams she couldn't help but make her own. But though Link had been able to instill a sense of pride in her, Hylia couldn't help but think thay she could have done better, more, something else that could have made thing easier, anything-

"Look," Link pointed to a green spot, "that's growing on its own."

* * *

Hylia was cold. She felt around her, trying to find a blanket or something to cover herself, but her hands grasped at thin air. It was dark around her and now that she thought about it, her eyes were closed.

"Link?" she called, but no one answered.

Hylia shivered and hugged herself, "Link?" she repeated, lower this time.

She was alone. She tried to pry her eyes open but they were shut. Her hands moved to her head and when she touched her eyes, she realized they were open.

So why couldn't she see anything?

Hylia moved her eyes around, hoping to see some form of light somewhere.

She shivered again, but not due to the cold.

Hylia pressed her head to the ground, tried to even her breathing.

It was obvious, what had happened, nothing really weird about it.

She was back to the Goddess' Realm.

She remembered it being vibrant with life and color, filled with sounds, filled with the thoughts and prayers of every person who believed in her. But now that there weren't people who could hear her, who could sense her, and if there were no thoughts nor prayers directed at her... it became dark, cold, lonely.

Fitting.

She had gone back.  
How? It didn't matter.  
Why? No one would care.

"Link," Hylia whimpered. At least now he was free...

If anything was to make her happy, if anything was to make her accept this fate...

"Link..."

"Hylia?" Link kneeled beside her, shook her shoulder, "Hylia, wake up."

The moment Hylia opened her eyes and the warm light of their fire painted Link's frown in front of her, Hylia choked back tears and raised her hands to Link with a cry nestled on her chest.

A settlement could be seen in the distance. Lively and safe, filled with fire to protect itself.

And when Hylia finally let go of Link, looking at that warm place, knowing that Link would be safe, that if anything, he had a choice, she spoke, "Link, do you blame me?"

And as sure as ever, "No."

* * *

"Have you ever thought about the Spirit Realm?"

Link frowned, he moved the logs in the fire, "Not really."

Link looked back at Hylia to keep the conversation going, but her eyes were glued to the sky and Link couldn't help but follow her line of sight.

A dragon, like the one they had seen before. The same one they had seen before?

"It's a different one."

Link cocked his head, "Have they always been around?"

Hylia followed the dragon swirling in the sky, did he worry like her? Was he just a manifestation of power? "I don't know," Hylia whispered, "I think so," she said.

"Did he come from the same place as you?"

Hylia breathed out, could feel her lungs contracting, "I was born out of wishes, I think. Though I don't know whether those wishes were from Hylians or the Goddesses themselves."

Link waited in silence as Hylia followed the dragon till it disappeared.

"I was born from a wish, Link, but I didn't know what that wish was."

Link glued his eyes to the ground, 'didn't' he thought, so she did now.

Hylia shuffled to him, caressed his hair, "Let's go to sleep?"

Link raised his head, wanted to ask her to keep talking.

"I'm tired," Hylia crouched to Link and hugged him, "Let's go to sleep."

* * *

Link splashed around and stilled. He raised his arm with the makeshift spear and eyed a fish that wiggled near his feet.

Hylia sat in the shore of the lake, laid the rocks with care before she started a fire.

Link came back sogging wet but with a basket full of fish.

Hylia put the fish to roast and came back to him to help him dry his hair.

Later had never come, it seemed. As Hylia had dodged the subject whenever it arised and Link was too much of a coward to bring it up.

"How much do we have before reaching the settlement?"

Link scrunched his nose, "Two days? One and a half?"

Hylia hummed and kept on drying Link's hair.

And Link made fists out of his hands and bit his lip before blurting, "When are you going to talk to me about what's worrying you?"

Hylia stilled, but she started again the next second. "I-"

"I'll help you as much as I can, Hylia, you won't do this alone, so please..."

Hylia stopped this time, kept the towel on Link's head. He was so...

"Link... how do I know I did the right thing?"

Link kept his head looking down, afraid that looking at her would make her stop talking. "In terms to what?"

Hylia raised her shoulders, "I- The things I made people do-"

Link raised his head, "Saving them?"

Hylia shook her head, "Link, so many people died."

"Like we ought to."

"Not when they had to."

"You saved as much people as you" Link made imaginary quotes in the air, "killed."

Hylia looked at the ground near Link's feet and Link feared he had let his emotions take over.

"Hylia-"

"I've been trying to weigh the good I've done with the bad I've done and-"

Link pursed his lips and refrained from going to her. "And?" he urged.

"How do I forgive myself, Link?" Hylia looked straight at him, "How do I forgive myself for taking so much from you?"

Oh, everything concercing him was easy, "You saved me."

"Link-" Hylia huffed, moved her hands in a futile attempt to explain things she was sure words wouldn't do justice, "The things I made you go through-"

"You saved my li-"

"That doesn't make it right, though!"

Link bit his lips and saw as Hylia breathed hard and tried to fight the tears that gathered in her eyes.

But it was so simple to him, "Did you do those things hoping to hurt me?"

Hylia looked at him with a resemblance of anger, "What?"

"Did you?" Link pressed, "Did you made your choices thinking you wanted to hurt us?"

Hylia opened her mouth in an attempt to refute him, to hit him, even. How dare he? How dare he think that? Hylia managed a squeak that made her lips tremble and shook her head no, intent on making him understand.

Never.

"Right?" Link smiled. Hylia was choking on tears and Link gathered her into his arms, "I can't... I won't tell you if the things you did were right or wrong, but I can tell you that you did those things thinking about Hylians and their wellbeing and... Hylia, that will have to be enough."

Hylia's chest heaved and Link tried to hug her tight to console her. Hylia hugged Link's neck and brought him to the ground beneath her.

Hate me. Berate me. Blame me. Something. Anything but your love.

Link looked at Hylia's eyes and let his hands rest at his sides without strenght, "I'm yours."

Their kiss was salty and angry and everything Hylia needed.

* * *

Before they reached the settlement, half a day away from it, Hylia kneeled in front of Link and spoke, "I didn't save you," fast enough to surprise Link, angry enough to warn him that this was her biggest regret.

Link remained quiet and still, this was the last of Hylia's attempt to drive him away, he knew, he could feel it.

"I did not save you," Hyila repeated, as if to make sure they understood, as if she hadn't practiced this a million times, "The Goddesses did. You died in my arms," Hylia stopped to catch her breath, "and I did not have the power to do more than cry," Hylia froze and the next time she talked there was a pain under her breath that made Link feel a shiver run down his spine, "so I begged. But you are a Hylian and as such a mortal, and what is once dead must stay that way and they wouldn't budge and your warmth was leaving, so..." Hylia looked at her hand and remembered the desperation that filled her. The pain, the way she had felt useless in the face of fate.

Link's heart beat wildly in his chest but he inched closer.

"My power... my power was not enough to destroy," a pause, "that," Hylia wouldn't look him in the eye, "I could only seal it away. Link," she locked eyes with him, fear and horror, "I could only seal it, and the Goddesses wouldn't talk back to me, and I knew with such certainty that I would have to face it again and again and again and..."

Link grabbed Hylia's hand and she pressed it to her forehead. Forgiveness, please.

"I was so scared of doing it alone."

Link felt Hylia crying, but could not see her tears. She was waiting for something, "What happened?"

Hylia choked up, "They needed a third person, and I-"

Link knew before he asked, "You chose me?"

Hylia breathed and looked up, an apology already in place.

"What does that mean?"

Yeah. What does that mean?

Hylia raised her shoulders and snickered at the cheer dumbness of this, "I don't- I don't know."

Link was confused but not angry and that made Hylia feel pain in her heart, "Link, I-"

"So we have to keep it sealed or destroy it, that's it?"

Hylia laughed with horror at his acceptance, "Link, I don't think we will ever be able to destroy it."

Link shrugged, "That's fine, we'll keep it sealed."

"Link," please, Link, "I can find a way to revert this situation, you don't have to," please, Link, please.

"It's all right."

"Link."

"It's all right."

But Hylia felt it was hard to breath and Link's face was so close and bright, the realization of what she had done, of whas she wanted, of what she was doing hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Forever is too long a time."

Link pulled Hylia to him and hugged her, "It's all right."

But Hylia had lived a fraction of forever and it was hard and testing, "Link, if down the line you come to hate me-"

"I won't."

"Link, I will understand."

Link let Hylia go, grabbed her head in front of him, "Next time I'll protect you."

Hylia snorted, "Of what?" Her voice was too thin.

And Link could feel his own words slipping before he could register them, "Of everything."

* * *

When at night, Hylia finally fell asleep in his arms, Link knew it was his time to come clear. His time to explain, in any way possible, why he was so adamant in being by her side.

It sounded simple to him, it was simple to him. But that answer wouldn't be enough to Hylia.

When morning came and Hylia smiled sheepish at him, Link started.

"I love you."

Hylia froze but raised the corners of her mouth.

"And I need you to know how much for you to understand why I do the things I do." Link grabbed the blanket that had covered them at night and surrounded themselves in it. "You saved my life, gave me a family, gave me a purpose," they were in a cocoon, and though the morning sun was starting to rise, they could only see the outlines of the other. Link whispered, "Everything I am is because of you, Hylia."

Hylia reached for Link and grabbed the clothes on his chest.

"And I know you feel guilty, but for now, Hylia, this is a gift for me. Nothing but things I've wished to happen."

"Link."

"So I want you to know that I feel no fear, no anger and I do not blame you at all, of anything."

"Link," Link's heart beat heavy under her hand and his breath warmed her hair, "Link, when you find you feel trapped with me, just, tell me, please."

"I will. I promise." Link could feel himself drowning, "Hylia," as if not saying this, not conveying this would kill him, "I love you," he didn't mind now looking desperate, he didn't mind sounding terrified, "please don't let me go."

And Hylia did not let Link go.

* * *

It had happened too long ago. So long ago that it seemed like a dream.

"Do you think maybe the Goddesses had us in their hands all along? Doing everything they wanted us to do?"

Hylia puckered her lips, "I don't care anymore."

Link snorted but squeezed her hand. "Have you forgiven yourself yet?"

Hylia kept her lower lip out, like someone who had accepted some things just wouldn't change, "My forgiveness has lost its importance, yours is all that matters."

"I forgive you," Link whispered.

"I know."

Hylia coughed with a strenght that didn't fit an old lady. When Link finished cleaning the corners of her mouth, she said, "I'm not waking up tomorrow."

"All right."

Hylia could feel an unnatural gargle in the back of her throat.

"Do you remember what you told me so long ago?"

Hylia smiled, "That I love you and I owe you my happiness?"

Link tried to smile, but feeling her grip loosening made his lips tremble, "About the curse?"

Hylia sighed, "Yes," they would be bound together with that monster till the Goddesses tired of it. A curse, she had told him, a curse she had been given and was too afraid to face alone. A curse she had placed upon him. A-

"It's a promise, then."

Hylia could feel her tears falling down her cheeks.

"A promise that I'll see you again, all right?"

"Link."

"A promise that you'll come for me again, yes?"

"Love."

"You promised."

Hylia loathed to see what befell them as anything other than misfortune, but when Link said it like that. It made her hope that maybe their story wasn't a cursed one. That their story was a story of hope, and love and justice, that maybe the pain they would have to endure would be the price to see the other again. To find the other again and again. To love the other till they tired.

When Link spoke like that.

It really looked like a promise.

And with that promise in her mouth, Hylia slept.

And the last thing she heard Link say, was Her name.

* * *

Thanks to everyone who commented and favorited Her name! This is the end of this story, hope you like it!


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